Undine
by Mademoiselle Laurenia
Summary: Undine a young mermaid sent "above" as a punishment is placed in a cottage none know of surrounded by haunted forest, a half dead prince soon arrives and convinces her to follow him to his home.  Heart breaks ensues, and ends tragically.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

There once was a forest that was renowned for it vastness and odd goings ons. Because of the vastness of the forest which took up two quarters of the king's land, through the ages King after King had attempted to conquer it. However, they always failed, the worst of these failures was hundreds of years ago when a king of little remembrance (other than he took part in this battle) had rallied his troops and marched on the forest. It is unknown to this day what occurred but not a single foot soldier returned.

It then became the tradition for lone knights and other brave men to venture into the forest with their sword and shields held high to bring back the head of whatever it was that frightened the people and swallowed a whole army. But few of them ever returned, and none of them escaped with their sanity. In fact in the time period I am speaking of there was only one man alive who had claimed to have gone into the forest and he was quite out of his mind with drink, he never had a sober moment and in the end most who met with him discredited his claims.

So, it was at this time that a son was born to the reigning King of the land and he was named Braveheart in hopes that one day he would penetrate the dense depths of the forest and bring courage into the hearts of the people. In the eyes of the King and his people the Prince was the shining star that they had all long hoped for, but the servants saw what others refused to see, the princes inability to finish things he started, the chamber maids he antagonized with cruelty and his overall gruffness of character. The servants altogether gave up hope of ever having the lingering evil destroyed.

The prince grew up with the knowledge of his quest and looked forward to it in a way that quite befuddled the servants; they came to the conclusion that he must have no idea of what the quest would actually be. It was the nineteenth birthday of the prince and the whole population of the land had traveled to the capital to see the prince off on his journey. As he rode away the queen was seen wiping her eyes in vain, for the tears continued to spill for many days, the King was as puffed up as a peacock with pride as he watched his seemingly gallant son disappear over the horizon. The Prince with not a fear in his mind of anything actually being within the forest planned on loping of the head of the first bear he that came within his vicinity and returning home within the week. The Prince of course had no idea of what he was about to encounter, for I shall warn you now, the myths and stories of old were a lot closer to the truth than the prince had even considered.

* * *

In the very center of the forest there was a wide clearing inhabited by nothing, there was large lake which connected all rivers and streams in the land, the clearing was completely void of anything other than various plants that are likely to appear in such places and in a nook of sorts dangerously close to the mystical woods there resided a small cottage. No one lived there anymore for whoever had lived there had died long ago, but the cottage itself was wonderfully preserved. If there were beings about to remark upon it is very likely they would have remarked that it must have been the forest itself that preserved it so, for as far away castles of stone were falling away the cottage was stable.

It was on a day in the nicest part of spring that the birds were flying over the clearing talking in their usual bird way, trilling and squawking away, when they noticed far below on the sandy bank of the lake there laid a figure. Though the birds as well as other animals, rather disliked the clearing they swooped down to investigate, the figure in fact was that of a human. She had long black hair that fell to her waist and skin that was not of the kind of other humans, the birds landing all around her awakened her, her eyes snapped open revealing strange blue eyes. The birds being then afraid all ascended into the sky leaving the frightened girl alone on the shore.

The girl though, being a female and having the over all appearance of a human, was very unlike other human girls in many ways. She was of the water and her skin had taken on the translucent shimmer often found on the fish of that otherworldly lake. Her eyes were wide and larger than what had been seen among the humans and her features were foreign and strange. She was however beautiful in an ethereal delicate way. She stood gracefully in the way of those who had swum and swayed in the water their whole lives. And as if she knew exactly what to do made her way to the cottage with purpose. She found it much as she had heard it described, for the cottage in fact had become a haven for those from below who wished to visit the above. She had been sent there by her superiors on an errand of which she had only limited knowledge, all she was told to do was find the cottage and stay there until she was sent for. It was a punishment of sorts for a crime she had no idea of. She settled in the cottages and awaited whatever it was that was to befall her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Soon after arriving within the forest Braveheart was accosted with a desperate sense of foreboding, his steed stamped his feet and turned towards home only minutes beneath the leafy shadows. Braveheart gruffly, turned his horse back going further and further in. He fidgeted, and scoffed in turn, all was silent but every hour he heard a voice whispering his name, and as time went by the voice grew louder and louder. Braveheart began to think he was being followed. The forest you see was much like the sea in the way that often the shallows are rather safe, but the deeper you go the more danger you are ultimately in.

Hours later Braveheart was quite convinced of his earlier assumption that there was something following him, the place seemed to be shrouded in eerie forbidding silence other than the voice growing ever louder. Braveheart was having a time remaining awake, slowly his eyes began to only see blurred images and his head was nodding. His senses were dulling to the point of comatose when he heard a fallen branch snap, as if someone or something had stepped on it. He turned in the direction of which the sound had come in time to see someone disappear among the trees. Braveheart sprung from his stupor his mind becoming his for the moment; he wheeled his horse in circles, searching.

"Show your face foe!" Braveheart cried stupidly, for in reality Braveheart was not the hero he believed himself to be. There was no reply, but as he turned himself back around there in his path stood a lone figure, he was short though tall, and horridly ugly and yet handsome. Braveheart's mind became so muddled that he no longer saw what was there and what was not. The man smiled, flashed horrid yellow teeth encrusted with jewels.

"What are you doing in my woods?"

Braveheart, who was apparently not so very brave at all; fell from his horse unconscious.

* * *

Undine sat beneath the warm sun marveling at this being her punishment. The cottage though rather uncomfortable was preferable to any jail cell she had ever seen. Now that she was about many small animals became aware that maybe the clearing wasn't so bad after all. Undine had heard nothing but horror stories about these woods her entire life, but the worse she had had out of them were a few queer noises late in the night. Others who had been banished here had allegedly spent their time huddled in the cottage fearing for their lives, but Undine was lost as to why they spent their time so.

She had been there a week when she began to hear sounds of unrest coming from the forest great crashing as if trees were being pulled up by their roots and thrown across the forest. Undine was not daunted; she held her courage, even venturing beneath the leafy sky of the forest a few times. After her first trip into the woods queerer and queerer things began happening she heard voices beckoning her within the forest, the first few times she went and once beneath the trees all would go silent, but faintly she would hear a small sweet voice calling her name. She followed it deeper and deeper into the forest until she realized she could no longer see the cottage, this broke her reverie she ran back the way she had come, as she ran she became aware of a presence directly beside her she looked and there beside her was a dark shadow of a man running the exact speed as she, she ran faster and he did likewise, then she stopped and so did he, all courage flew from her mind as she dashed in the direction she thought her way out. It seemed to take much longer getting back than she remembered going, but at last she threw herself from the trees gasping for breathe, she turned to see the man standing still just within the trees, he said not a word, and yet she knew he had issued a warning. He turned and disappeared among the shadows. Undine ran for the cottage vowing never to venture there again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Braveheart was trapped in a vortex of fears, memories; every harsh word he ever spoken, every evil deed was replayed before his eyes over and over until he had lost track of time and himself completely. The forest did not contain what many had suspected. There were not dragons, or towering bears or anything outside the norm, other than the wizard.

Long ago Wizards used their "wizardry" as their profession, they would set up in a booth or shop on market day just like the seamstresses and butchers they would have a list of potions and spells the people could purchase, all went well for wizards in that time. But as people were not in later days as intellectually competent as they once were they soon took to blaming the wizards for the bad things that happened to them as well as the good. Soon the wizards were hated so much that they couldn't travel the streets or buy or sell anything, some of them were killed but most of them disappeared, proving in the eyes of the people their guilt.

This of course occurred farther back than any remember other than the Wizards, most of them throughout the years died off but there was one spell which was considered the holy grail of spells that had the power to give its speaker the life of a immortal. Most wizards never found it of course but our Wizard of the forest, in particular did.

But like with most spells there are certain side affects you don't know about until long after you've spoke the words, for the spell only promised long life, the spell said nothing of it being happy. The Wizard of the forest was a very young boy when the people came against the Wizards, he and his mother and father escaped to the forest for it was the most likely place to keep hidden without having to travel over seas. He had a happy life there with his parents, his father taught him every spell and recipe he knew and in time the boy grew even more powerful than his father. The boy's mother died, nearly thirty years after they had entered the forest and his father, heart broken soon followed. The boy, now a man of thirty-four was left all alone beneath the sky of leaves.

He grew so afraid of death he vowed to find the spell that would give him eternal life, thinking it would also make him become like the gods themselves, a golden shining figure the people would look up to. Once he spoke the spell he often traveled out of the woods daring the people to bask in his glory, but they only waved their pitchforks and snarled curses, eventually he grew tired of the people and withdrew into the forest never leaving, and after a time he became to the people a horrible legend.

His only consolation was tormenting those who drew near his forest as he called it, and it was true he did make a whole army disappear, for disappear they did, to where he knew not, preferably their own private island in hell, he would mutter to himself. He did of course kill the all those brave men, they all came riding in so valiantly, they made him sick, so he reduced them to puddles within moments, he did let a few escape mostly because he like the idea of being talked about throughout the land.

The wizard smiled down at Braveheart writhing in his imagined pain,

"_This one is a worm," _he thought_," not worth killing_."

He tormented him to the brink of his sanity and then let him go. Braveheart's crazed eyes stared up at him wide eyed and terrified, in no way comprehending his surroundings.

"Get out." The wizard screeched. Braveheart got to his feet running in a random direction.

"Oh, no, He's going the wrong way." The Wizard said to no one in particular, then laughing darkly he disappeared among the trees.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Braveheart's mind was in a frenzy, he was running through a forest, he had forgotten who he was, and why he was running, nevertheless he continued seemingly tirelessly. He tore through overgrown areas without a thought, tearing his skin, he barely noticed as he ran for what felt like hours without a single rational thought entering his mind, he knew not where he was going, all he knew was he needed to get away from wherever he had come.

Braveheart was in fact running towards the center of the forest rather that the exit, and as I said before the farther he went the more dense and dangerous the trees and undergrowth became, he was a sight to be seen, his eyes unnaturally wide in terror, his arms severely bloodied from his countless scraps and scratches, barreling through the forest like the madman, he consequently was. He ran until he could run no more, he broke through a particularly dense bramble and was confronted with light.

* * *

Undine though at first considering the clearing and the cottage calming and peaceful soon after becoming acquainted with what she called the shadow of the forest began to understand why their former occupants had live in such fear of the place. It was as if the longer you stayed the more in tune you became to the magic, for the clearing, the cottage as well as the entire forest were completely saturated with it, it seemed to be inhabited by strange little men that would barley reach to Undine's knees. They'd scurry about the forest from tree to tree always watching with their beady little black eyes it was unnerving, and yet Undine couldn't look away. For as they watched her, she in turn watched them.

She soon took to looking at everything in a new way, the fish were no longer just fish but great big things longer than Undine herself, and the birds became reptilian, no longer chirping but roaring, swooping down at her and then disappearing from sight. Yes, she began to see the place for what it was, a place full of magic, but not magic as it once had been but a magic altogether different, a magic with happiness and beauty thrown from the mix.

She was beginning to wonder how much longer her banishment could possibly last when she began hearing strange noises coming from the forest. Not strange in the usual kind, no squawks in the middle of the night or voices whispering her name but a kind of hum the reverberated through her mind. She watched for a time until it became apparent that it was the little men, they were talking, and scurrying with vigor, they seemed to be anticipating something unwelcome, what she could only guess. They seemed to become aware of her curious gaze and began to move with more stealth, not that it helped much, for they were squat clumsy stocky things and their stealth really did nothing but trip them up. They began falling and rolling into one another, when one ran into another, the one that had been hit would turn his face purpling wonderfully and hum loudly at the one lying on the ground looking incredibly abashed. Undine giggled and the little men disappeared behind the trees.

Early one morning Undine awoke to a great crashing coming from the forest, though not as curious as she would have been around the time of her arrival, she nevertheless went to see what had happened. She stepped from the cottage to see a man that is a human, on his knees just outside the cover of the forest. He was awfully wounded, and Undine felt she could help him but in her was instilled the fear of humans that had passed from generation to generation of the mere-people. He looked so helpless she thought, and so with a resolve she felt she could not somehow completely claim as her own she went to him kneeling before him. His eyes opened revealing the eyes of a man whose mental ability and been pushed to their limits and beyond. He stared for a while and then suddenly fixed his crazed eyes on her.

"Who are you?"

He said just before once again falling into the only haven that was left to him, unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

"I have to get out." Braveheart declared for the hundredth time. Undine sat watching as he paced up and down the floor of the small cottage. It had been four days since he had come crashing out of the wood. He had let himself heal little before stomping around the clearing declaring war on all inhabitants of the forest. Undine didn't understand his threats; for it was more than obvious he had not won the last battle therefore his threats couldn't hold much weight against such a foe.

Undine's apprehension of Braveheart soon faded away for he paid her little attention other than to include her in his pending escape. At first she reasoned she must stay behind but then she thought of her jailers face once he became aware of her escape. Many of her people had gone and lived among the humans for a time and come back unscathed, why shouldn't she?

She couldn't long think on these things without remembering her time in the forest. She concluded that the thing she met and what had attacked Braveheart were one and the same. So, with all thoughts of escape came thoughts of what must await them within the forest.

For all his ranting Braveheart was shook to his very core, the man or rather that thing, had stripped him of everything his pride, his dignity. How was he to go home after such a defeat? Assuming he could even make it out of the forest for a second time. Braveheart walked back and forth his mind grasping at straws trying to figure a way out, but in truth there was no way. They were very nearly at the center of the whole forest, there was only one way out and he knew it, but he was like most men when left without ample things to do or conquer, he grew absurd. And as for his feelings toward Undine, they were noble in their way, she was the damsel of the story and he would carry her back to his castle after destroying the horrid beast of the forest.

Undine spent her days as she always had while inhabiting the clearing, she watched for the little men but they had not returned since the arrival of Braveheart. She liked him for the most ridiculous of reasons he was rather good looking and his voice had a very pleasant tone, and he was civil, she could only wish he were more so. He stomped and ranted all day long but she didn't mind as long as he did find a means of escape. She thought they would probably enter the forest eventually and whether they would make it out or not would not be known till the moment of its occurrence.

Braveheart though silly and vain and ridiculous was not intolerably stupid. And given a less powerful foe he would have made quick work of their escape. But the Wizard had powers that far exceeded his training with his sword. He soon became aware that he would have to enter the forest again if he ever planned on returning home, his plan from there sprouted. Though not a very good plan it was really the only one left to him, he would enter the forest with Undine in tow and either that thing would let them go or he would fight it once more, with a more favorable ending he hoped.

He then told Undine of his plan and awaited her approval, not that he really thought he needed it, but _women always do like feeling as if they are at the center of things_, he thought. Undine was lying on the grass staring at the forest, as she did quite often he noted. He thought her rather strange but left it to the duration of her stay in the clearing and thought much of it would evaporate once their escape was complete.

Undine thought his plan though not at all awe inspiring, as well as any and had already long ago decided to accompany him. Undine proceeded to act as if she had no plans of following him to get his reaction. His reaction was not quite what she would have wished for he only deflated a little and then turned to walk away before turning back to explain to her rather coldly she was to go in any case. She was filled with indignation, for now her acquiesce would superfluous and she must go.

He thought better of forcing her for it would not shine good light on him if she arrived at the castle in low spirits so with as much charm and grace as he had within him he joined her on the ground and asked in the sweetest tones:

"Fair Undine, please accompany me through the forest and then to my castle which awaits us."

Undine was not quite convinced for though she had planned on going before, his forcing her to go had muddled her plans and she was now unsure. Braveheart sensing her mood took her hand s and kissed them, whispering lovely words to her.

She was already half convinced when he got on one knee and asked very sweetly if after they had taken the forest together if she would consent to be his wife. She like the idea very much and took his gallantry as love he had began to harbor for her, and being so young and inexperienced she agreed heartily.

It might have seemed odd for their affection to have sprouted so suddenly but in a way it was destined from the start. Braveheart upon finding Undine had immediately added her into his plans as his damsel and later his queen. He thought only of the stories that would be told of the prince that went into the enchanted forest and brought back with him after defeating all foes within, a beautiful girl whom he then made his wife and they ruled for many years to come.

Undine was not blameless in this decision but this being the first time she had ever been crossed in anything like love she soon forgot his transgressions for they held little weight next to his princely charms, and that of a castle and the world of wonderful unknown things. She very much wanted to visit the world of the humans and knew not of all Braveheart's flaws, she had seen only his preoccupation with their escape and that as well as him intending to force her to accompany him could be written as his love for her driving him to protect her by all means.

And in the days approaching their escape they grew closer in the time it took to prepare, Braveheart who was a courtier by birth was rather charming and Undine was lovely in ways no human girl ever could be, her beauty complimented him and he was well versed in the language of winning a young woman's heart. They soon thought themselves very in love and were perfectly happy. By the time they ventured into the forest they were convinced nothing could touch them, for their love and happiness must protect them from all evils.

The Wizard of course thought little of their new found relationship and had a plan of his own that was very different in nature.


	6. Chapter 6

The first few hours of their trek through the forest were quite uneventful. In fact Braveheart came to believe they would make it out without being bothered. Undine was more sensitive to her surroundings and felt something would occur eventually and told Braveheart so several times throughout the morning.

The further in the more foreboding she felt, she clung to Braveheart but he only laughed lightheartedly at her expressions of fear. They had no way of knowing how long it had taken him to reach the clearing for he had been unconscious several times and could not account for the days that passed. So, on they walked until it started to become dark, Undine feared above all things sleeping in the forest and beseeched Braveheart to think likewise but he was set on stopping and so they did.

They ate what little they had brought and Braveheart was asleep before it had been dark an hour now quite assured they would be left alone.

Undine thought him foolish for believing so but didn't speak plainly with him on the subject for fear of ruining what they had become to each other in past days. They lit no fire for Undine rather disliked it and she was sure it would attract if not "the thing" as they called it, an unwanted animal.

She sat in complete darkness listening, waiting. She felt something would appear and was not shocked when it did.

In front of her stood a odd tallish man whose features she could not distinguish, but his head bobbed up and down seemingly to a rhythm only he could hear. He gave off an odd sort of light, not like sunlight nor moonlight, it was greenish sort of light and had she known anything of wizards she would know that wizards often give off such light.

She was not afraid as much as entranced, "Undine…" the voice whispered,

"Where are you going?"

She did not answer, she squinted her eyes trying to see his face. He started laughing, very quietly at first but it grew louder and louder until it was all that was within her mind.

It scratched at her thoughts bringing forth her past, "Does he know what you are?" He whispered cruelly. Undine had given very little thought to ever telling Braveheart what she was; he saw what he wanted to see. She was not so very unlike a human as to be generally noticed but if sat before the whole kingdom as their queen eventually someone would.

He continued to go through her mind bringing forth memories she would have liked to forget and taunting her. She screeched at him for what felt like hours, wondering why Braveheart had not awakened, but by this time she was affronted with his being a Wizard and gave it up as to be expected. She began begging him to stop and suddenly he withdrew.

"It will end very badly for you if you continue with him." He said coolly. "You know him not." Undine looked on him with hatred. "Are you going to kill us?" She asked with three times the amount of petulance someone her age ought.

"Why should I? You two are off to do my bidding, if you continue, and I think you shall you will bring the kingdom to its knees. A more opportune moment for me to step out I never saw. I have warned you, though it's more than you deserve."

"It that all?" She seemed a great deal braver than she was, but at the same time seven fold what Braveheart would have been in her situation, she believed not a word he said and continued to glare at him with with feeling. She no longer feared his presence in her mind for there was little more pain he could possibly inflict.

"I send you with my blessing, though I shall not refrain from alerting your relations, it will be quite a bit of fun. I do get such joy from seeing your dear uncle's face when he's angry." He laughed and laughed and the longer it went the more menacing it got. Undine got to her feet and woke Braveheart and they were off leaving the Wizard behind to marvel at his good luck.


End file.
